Courier Report - 25/01/2019

A huge number of Lions completed the Hebden Race this week, with Mags Beever finishing 1st Lady (and second overall) in the 15 mile version of the race.

The Hebden 22/Hebden 15

The Lions were out in droves for this popular and hilly event, which caters for both walkers and runners. The demanding 22 mile route has over 4,000 feet of climbing, while the 15 mile route is optimistically described as “less demanding, with a leisurely return along the canal to Mytholmroyd”, giving no hint as to the actual difficulty of navigating across 15 miles of unmarked trackless moorland in the freezing cold in January. Epic winter conditions are guaranteed every year, and Friday night’s snowfall arrived right on cue, covering much of the route. Mags Beever finished 1st Lady (and second overall) in the 15 mile, a handful of Lions stepped up this year from the 15 mile to the 22 for the first time, and a delighted Paula Pickersgill took twenty minutes off her previous time at the 15. All the reviews of this race talk about the home baking that greets the finishers - with the dripping sandwiches, Tiffin and apple crumble all getting the thumbs up from reviewers.

Inskip Half Marathon

Richard Brown, Gavin Dodd and Clayton Cutter ran the flat and fast Inskip Half Marathon near Preston on Saturday. All three Lions took full advantage of the fast course to finish in under 90 minutes. Like buses, they all arrived at once, crossing the line within 30 seconds of each other. Gavin took 3½ minutes off his previous best half marathon time and looks in good shape for his full marathon in Manchester later this year. Both Richard and Clayton also posted personal bests, with Clayton saying afterwards: “Over three years now of being a Stainland Lion, aiming for under 1 hour 30, coming close on a few and today it got done, 1.29.38 and into the sub 1.30 club.”

West Yorkshire Winter League Cross Country Race Four, South Leeds Lakers

Sunday’s race at South Leeds Lakers featured a very runnable course that was less technical than the previous races in the League. The Lions’ men’s team struggled after losing the bookies’ favourite Matthew Pierson to a pulled hamstring early on, but the ladies’ team were out in force and once again smashed it to come in first place ahead of Baildon, nicely extending their lead at the top of the table.